Cigar bunching machine



Se t. 13, 1938. H. ENFIELD CIGAR BUNCHING MACHINE Filed March 16, 1936 INVENTOR 2 lg ardd Infield W 999M ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 13, 1938 PATENT OFFKIE CIGAR BUNCHING MACHINE Harold Enfield, York,

Pa., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Robert E. Manley, York, Pa.

Application March 16, 1936, Serial No. 69,051

1 Claim.

This invention relates to Cigar bunching machines, and more particularly to cigar bunching machines of the type shown in United States Letters Patent No. 1,296,724, granted March 11,

r 1919 to Jasper Stanley Winget.

In cigar bunching machines of the type shown in the above patent, the loose tobacco to be bunched is placed in an elongated pocket formed in an apron or belt at one end of an arcuate bed in plate which supports the belt. Through suitable mechanism the tobacco in the pocket is rolled in the belt across the bed plate and this operation quickly produces a bunch of rolled tobacco which, upon being removed from the machine, is ready to have a wrapper applied thereto.

Machines constructed according to the disclosure in the Winget patent have gone into extensive use and have proven satisfactory in the manufacture of hand made cigars. However, due to the manner of constructing the Winget type of cigar bunching machine certain defects have been noted, and the present invention relates to improvements in the construction of the machine.

The means for rolling the tobacco in the pocket in the belt across the bed plate includes a roller carried by a carriage. The carriage is pivotally mounted in the lower ends of arms depending from the main frame of the machine. Heretofore, due to the type of bearings used for pivotally mounting the carriage in the frame of the machine, when the bearings became worn sufiiciently to prevent proper operation of the machine, it was necessary to replace the entire frame of the machine with a new frame in order to renew the bearings.

Furthermore, in the type ofWinget cigar bunching machine shown in the above patent no means were provided for changing the relative position of the carriage roller with respect to the bed plate whereby the tightness of the roll of bunched tobacco could be regulated.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved cigar bunching machine in which means are provided for resiliently pivoting the rolling and bunching mechanism in removable bearings.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved cigar bunching machine of the character mentioned, which is simple in construction, and reliable and exact in function under all condi-' tions of service.

The invention also comprises certain new and useful improvements in the construction, ar-

55. rangement and combination of the several parts.

of which it is composed, as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing Figure l is a perspective view of a cigar bunching machine constructed according to the present invention; 7

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation of one of the carriage supporting arms; and

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing, the improved machine comprises a base II in the form'of a rectangular skeleton frame which is adapted to be mounted on the top of a table or bench as shown in Fig. 1.

The base H has a front end portion I2, a rear end portion l3, a front side portion I6, and a rear side portion 15, all preferably cast integrally to provide a rigid structure.

The end portions l2 and I3 of the base have connected thereto a pair of vertically arranged upwardly curved bars or plates l6 and H. The bars 16 and 11 parallel the side portions l4 and I5 of the base, and are spaced therefrom a suitable distance as shown in Fig. 1.

Carried by the bars 16 and I1, is an arcuate bed plate 26, having its ends turned downwardly as indicated at 2|. 7

The forward end of the base I l is formed with two upwardly extending ears 24 and 25, in which is mounted a shaft 26, upon which is wound a belt 21. The shaft 26 is held against rotation by means of ratchet teeth 28 carried by one end.

The opposite endof the shaft 26 on the outside of the ear 24 is provided with a coil spring 29, which bears against a nut 30 carried by the shaft 26 and normally holds the ratchet 28 in engagement so that the shaft cannot be rotated.

When it is desired to lengthen or shorten the belt 21, the shaft 26 is moved longitudinally so as to disengage the ratchet teeth and allow the shaft to be rotated so that the belt 21- may be wound or unwound on the shaft.

The belt 21 extends rearwardly, resting upon the bed plate 20, and passes downwardly where it is secured to the rear end of the bed plate.

The belt 21 is of a length to allow a loop 31 to be formed therein, said loop providing a pocket in which the tobacco is placed to roll the bunch.

Depending from the front side portion 14 of the base I l is an arm 32. A similar arm also depends from the rear side [5 of the base. These downwardly extending arms 32 have pivoted in their to the upper surface of the bed plate 20.

lower ends a carriage, the purpose of which will be hereinafter described.

The carriage comprises a plate 33 to which is rigidly secured two upwardly extending arms 34 and 35.

The arms 34 and 35 are connected together at their upper ends by a rod 36 upon which is mounted a roller 31 which is arranged directly over the curved bed plate and travels across the same under the belt 21. The space between the roller 31 and bed plate 20 is slightly greater than twice the thickness of the belt 21, whereby the belt is carried across the bed plate with the loop 3| therein and in which is the bunch as showndn Fig. 1. i

The upper end of the arm is extended up wardly and provided with a lateral longitudinal pin 38 carrying a handle 39, whereby the carriage is swung forwardly and rearwardly to move the roller 31 across the bed plate 20.

For the purpose of pivotally connecting the carriage with the arms 32 of the frame of the machine, in the present instance, the plate 33 is formed with diametrically disposed outwardly projecting lugs or bosses 40 (see Fig. 3).

Each boss 46 is formed with a threaded bore 4| for the reception of the threaded shank 42 of a trunnion 43.

Each arm 32 is preferably formed with an upper portion 45 which may be integral with the side portions of the base, and a lower portion 46 which is detachably connected with the upper portion 45, by any suitablemeans such as rivets 41 (see Figs. 2 and 3).

The lower end of the portion 46 of each arm 32 is formed with an opening48, in which opening is disposed the trunnion 43.

The opening 48 is elongated, as shown in Figs.

2 and 3 so as to also contain an expansible coil spring 56. The spring 50 is inserted between the trunnion 43 and the upper end of the opening 48 and presses the trunnion downwardly.

For the purpose of adjusting the tension of the spring 50, in the instant case I utilize a thumb screw 5|, the threaded shank of'which is mounted in a threaded opening 52 formed vertically in the bottom of the arm 32. The construction is such that the spring 50 bears against the trunnion 43 on one side and. the inner end of the thumb screw 5| bears against the trunnion on the opposite side. By turning the thumb screw 5| inwardly the pressure exerted by the spring 56' against the trunnion will be increased and such increased pressure correspondingly affects the relative position of the roller 31 with respect Conversely when the thumb screw 5| is turned outwardly the spring 50 will force the trunnion 43' downwardly in the opening 48, thereby lowering the carriage and moving the roller 31 closer to the upper surface of the bed plate 20.

As shown in Fig. 3, the outer end of boss 46 is of a size to close opening 48 on one side of the arm 32, and in order to close the opening 48 on the opposite side of the arm 32, I utilize a plate 54 which is pivotally mounted on the arm 32 as indicated at 55, Figs. 1 and 2. Between the plate 54 and the spring 50, there is a block 56 which serves as means for retaining the spring 50in position in the opening 48.

From the foregoing description and disclosure.

it will be observed that the bed plate 20- is supported by the curved bars l6 and I1 and that the bed plate is relatively much shorter than the length of the rectangular base II. This construction provides a space between the front end of the bed plate 20 and the adjacent end of the base II, in which space the belt 21 is formed into a loop to receive the tobacco, and also provides a space between the opposite or rear end of the bed plate 20 and the rear end portion |3 of the base II, for the purpose of providing a space for the rolled bunch to fall from the loop.

During the operation of the machine the handle 38 is moved forwardly so as to bring the roller 31 forwardly adjacent the roller or shaft 26,, upon which the belt is wound. The belt 21 is then depressed between the roller 31 and the end l2 of the base forming the loop 3| in the belt. Plates 44 disposed adjacent the bars l6 and I1, close the ends of the loop into which is placed the tobacco to form the bunch.

The adjustment of the belt 21 for lengthening or shortening the same allows of the making of bunches of different diameters.

After the tobacco is placed in the loop at the front end of the machine, the roller 31 through the medium of the handle 39 is moved rearwardly, forming the loop 3| around the bunch. The continued rearward movement of the roller 31, causes the loop to be rolled across the bed plate 20, compressing and rolling the bunch. The roller 31 is carried entirely across the bed plate 20 and the loop in this operation causes a continued rolling of the bunch, and when the end of the bed plate 20 is reached the loop opens up and the bunch is removed.

Should, during the operation of the machine in the above described manner, the bunch be rolled either too tight or too loose, by manipulating the thumb screws 5|, the relative position of the roller 31 with respect to the bed plate can be adjusted so as to produce a bunch of the desired compactness. Since the trunnions of the carriage are resiliently mounted in the machine through the instrumentality of the springs 50, the pressure of the roller 31 on the bed plate 20 will likewise be resilient, thereby enabling the operator to produce bunches of the desired firmness.

Furthermore, should the openings 48 become worn to such an extent that the trunnions 43 do not fit properly therein, the lower portion 46 of the arm 32 can be removed or detached from the main portion of the arm by cutting off the heads of the rivets 41 and a new'arm section 46 fitted to the portion 45.

The rear'side portion I5 of the base II has secured thereto by means of a rivet 58, a stop 59, which extends inwardly in the path of travel of the arm 34 and limits the movement thereof. The stop 59-can be moved so as to be out of the path of travel of the arm 34 and thus permit a furtherforward movement of the carriage than is possible when the stop is in the position shown in Fig. 1, thereby making the filler pocket opening larger or smaller for the convenience of the operator.

Changes may be made in the details of construction and in the arrangement of the parts above described within certain limits without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention What I claim is 2- A device of the class described comprising a pair of spaced apart downwardly extending rigid arms, connected at their upper ends, each of said arms having an elongated vertically disposed openingformed in its lower extremity, the opening extending through the arm, a member disposed between said arms and free to swing therebetween, an outwardly projecting boss integral with said member and extending from each end thereof, each boss having a face covering the adjacent side of said elongated opening, each boss also having a threaded bore formed longitudinally therein, a trunnion having a threaded shank mounted in the threaded opening of each boss, said trunnion being disposed in said arm opening and having its outer end portion spaced from the outer face of said arm, an expansible coil spring mounted in said arm opening in the space between said trunnion and the upper wall of said opening and urging said trunnion downwardly towards the bottom of the opening, a thumb screw shank mounted in the lower extremity of said arm below the opening in the arm, the upper end of said thumb screw bearing against the trunnion and urging the trunnion upwardly against said coil spring, a block disposed in said opening in the space between the spring and the outer wall of said arm, and a plate pivotally mounted on the outer wall of the lower extremity of said arm and covering said opening, said plate preventing lateral outward displacement of said block and said coil spring.

HAROLD ENFIELD. 

